Gutting knife

[0002] The present invention relates to gutting knives that are used to “break open” a wild animal which has been shot or a slaughtered animal, i.e. to open up the animal so that the internal organs can be removed.

[0003] The known gutting knives comprise a tang (handle) and a blade which is sharp on one or both sides. This gutting knife is used to cut open the hide (skin) at the belly of the animal and to slit open the belly skin as far as the thorax. These knives can also be used to divide/cut up the meat which has been removed. To allow the internal organs (pharynx, lungs, stomach, liver/gall bladder, intestines, bladder, etc.) to be removed undamaged, further tools, such as bone cutters, bone saws and the like are required as well as the gutting knife in order to break up/sever bones, for example the breastbone.

[0004] It is essential for the quality and usability of meat as human food that the internal organs be removed undamaged, since if any of the contents of the stomach, intestines, bladder or gall bladder escape, the body cavity of the animal must be washed with water immediately. This is a measure which is scarcely possible, if at all, when hunting or outside an abattoir.

[0005] The invention is based on the object of providing a gutting knife which has the tools required for the purpose of opening up a shot/slaughtered animal and for removing the internal organs.

[0006] According to the invention, the object is achieved by providing a gutting knife with two forwardly extending extensions which define a slot between them. The slot is defined by a peripheral cutting edge on the inward facing edges of both extensions and at the bottom of the slot. The first extension ends in a spike tip and has a cutting edge along the outward facing edge. The second extension has a blunt tip, e.g., a bulge, which does not cut. The entrance to the slot has a meander path on the inside of the second extension and has saw teeth on the inside of the first extension. The outward facing edge of the second extension has a recess with a cutting edge, and may also have saw teeth. A handle for the blade may have a holder for blades or tools.

[0007] Exemplary embodiments of the subject matter of the invention are diagrammatically illustrated in the drawings, in which:

[0008] FIG. 1 shows a side view of the gutting knife according to the invention,

[0009] FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the gutting knife shown in FIG. 1,

[0010] FIG. 3 shows a side view of another embodiment of the gutting knife shown in FIG. 1, with the tang (handle) partially in section.

[0011] A gutting knife shown in FIG. 1 comprises a blade 1awhich is secured in a tang/handle 1b. The blade 1ahas two extensions 3 and 4. The two extensions 3 and 4 surround and define a slot 5 which is open at the front of the knife: A recess 2, which is provided with a peripheral cutting edge, is defined on the outward facing edge at the top side of the extension 4. This recess 2 is preferably oriented at an angle of 45° with respect to the longitudinal axis of the gutting knife 1, with the open side inclined rearward toward the tang/handle 1b.

[0012] The slot 5 is provided with a peripheral cutting edge 6 at its inward facing edges at the opposing sides of the extensions and at its closed end.

[0013] On its outward facing edge at its lower side, the first extension 3 has a cutting edge 7 which ends in a spike-like tip 8. The inward facing side of the extension 3 facing toward the slot 5 is provided with toothing 11.

[0014] The second extension 4 has a blunt tip 10 with a thickened section, known as a bulge 9. The inward facing peripheral cutting edge 6 on the extension 4 has a meandering form 6a, 6bon the extension 4 in the region between the blunt tip 10 and the outward end of the slot 5. Between the tip 10 and the recess 2, the outward facing edge of the extension 4 may be provided with saw toothing 12 (FIG. 3).

[0015] To accommodate further, expediently exchangeable, tools, a holding device 13, into which various saw blades 14 can be fitted and held, is arranged inside the tang/handle 1b.

[0016] The individual knife blade designs function as follows:

[0017] The spike-like tip 8 is used to carefully puncture the abdominal wall of the animal which has been shot. Then, the blunt tip 10, which is provided with a bulge 9, is introduced into this opening in the abdominal wall. The gutting knife 1 is guided toward the rump of the animal, in such a way that the skin of the animal is cut through inside the slot 5 by the peripheral cutting edge 6, with the blunt tip 10 bearing against the inside of the animal's skin inside the animal's body. When the gutting knife 1 is pressed toward the rump of the animal, the bulge 9 pushes the organs which are in the immediate vicinity of the blade 1ato the side, and away from the blade 1ain such a manner that there is no possibility of the stomach, intestines, bladder, etc. being damaged.

[0018] The gap 5 between the extensions 3 and 4 eliminates the possibility of “slipping”, i.e. of the knife unintentionally sliding into the body of the animal, so that this “forced” guidance for the blade 1aallows even a relatively inexperienced user of the gutting knife 1 to make a perfect opening in the animal's body.

[0019] As a result of the meandering design 6a, 6bof the cutting edge 6 on the second extension 4, between the blunt tip 10 and the end of the gap, the region 6awill have the effect of cutting into the animal's skin, and the region 6bwill sever the skin, during the forward movement of the gutting knife 1.

[0020] When the abdominal wall of the animal has been cut open as far as the pubic bone (symphysis pubica pelvina), the pubic bone has to be severed, in order for the intestine and possibly the bladder to be removed without being damaged. During severing of the pubic bone, the toothing is supported on the bone and the gutting knife 1 is passed through the pubic bone as a result of the upward and downward movement around the toothing 11.

[0021] After the skin/hide has been cut through along the breastbone, the bones of the thorax are severed using the same movements of the gutting knife 1. Then, the internal organs, such as trachea and esophagus, heart, lungs, etc., can be removed undamaged.

[0022] The cutting recess 2 allows tendons and muscle attachment fibers to be severed.

[0023] The saw toothing 12 on the outward facing edge on the top side of the second extension 4 in FIG. 3 is inclined with respect to the tang/handle 1bin such a way that it does not cause any damage to internal organs of the animal as it is “passing through” the abdominal cavity.

[0024] The saw toothing 12 can be used to cut through bones of the animal, the sawing action being produced when the gutting knife 1 is being “pulled” and not “pushed”.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 3, a securing device 13 for holding further tools, such as for example saw blades 14, may be accommodated in the tang/handle 1b.

[0026] This multifunctional gutting knife 1 enables the hunter (ranger) to gut a wild animal which has been shot without damaging the internal organs and, if desired, to cut up the animal in the wild.

[0027] Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.